The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-03-29
CREMATION IN ALASKA.
Some OF the Curious Customs that Follow
Desth-Why the Bodies Burn WE'LL
Alaska Free preas

Some OF the Curious Customs that Follow
Death-Why tho Bodies Burn Well.
Alaska Free Press.
Having had information the other dav of
cremation to take place at the Indian village, |
went to tho beach to witness it The defunct
siwash was known around Juneau as Frank, and
was formerly employed at Martin Bros. store in
the capacity of Indian clerk and the Hickman
lit being double cremation of one of each sex)
had been called Jennie; both, as it happened
having died of consumption. The mourning
service consisted OF the ancient ceremony known
as "potlatch," which is always customary among
the Indians OF southeastern Alaska on the occa-
sion of the death Of one of their number. The
potlatch is a division OF whatever temporal goods
the deceased may have possessed, such
blankets, dry goods. etc., among his or her rela-
tons. according as the merits of each individual
case may justify.
long, and to the Indian mind very impressive.
the frat the order of the day is a eulogistc
discourse by one of the old men, which. being
delivered by him in sections. so TO speak. is
taken up and sung by the rest in monotonous
sort of chant; the old man is then superseded
by another venerable buck who goes through
the same service and he in turn by another,
until all the old men have had their individual
say. The chanters keep time by humping the
floor with sticks and beating drum This
performance being gone over for day or two,
the potlatch takes place.
The body of the deceased is first wrapped in a
tHdItiHg woven from 6plb rOOtS, ana IN appear
aDco resem bling coarse straw They then con-
vey the body to the place of cremation. which is
always the beach at highwa mark. On
this occasion they had hand for the purpose
of burning the two bodies about one cord of
wood. some split and some in small logs. First
platform of small logs is laid foot from the
ground. and a space of four inches between each
log On this pyre. which was about seven feet
long by five feet wide, the two bodies were
placed. about three feet apart, and around them
a miniature log hut was built to height of four
feet; the inclosed space is then carefully filled in
with split wood and fine kindling. and now,
everything being in readiness, the fire is
lighted from the bottom. The native
diet being chiefly salmon, an oily
substance, the bodies of the Indians seem to
contain considerable amount of oil, they
burn very readily. While the corpses were
charring the friends of the deceased continued
to poke them with long sticks. occasionally
rakinc the fragments of burnt flesh from the
fire and wrapping them IN skins. blankets. etc
Returning from the cremation of the two ma
tives, | heard singing in a native house, and
dropped in to see what was going
There was quite an assemblage Of natives
| squatied around a small fire in the center of the
room and at one end Of the house the corpse of
old woman lay, covered with a sheet and
blankets. All around the room was strung up
muslin, pieces of calico and few blankets; Also
three umbrellas, etc. all OF which will be dis
tributed among the relatives and near friends.
Then the process described above will be gone
J through.